In a world where quoting Yoda or mentioning which Hogwarts house you belong to serve as conversation starters, geek culture seems to have “conquered the Iron Throne” as the newest kid on the pop culture scene.
But the road to nerdy bliss is not without its challenges, even as fantasy, sci-fi and wearing thick-rimmed glasses have become mainstream. Much is related to the environment we’re living in, and the truth is that some places are better positioned than others to provide a rich experience for fans of geek culture.
If you’re searching for a new place to call home that caters to the tastes of geek culture enthusiasts, look no further. Our research team – who happen to have dropped by every filming location for Game of Thrones – analyzed over 300 cities with populations of over 100K to identify the ideal destinations for those who want to fully embrace their passions. The final ranking is based on a combined score that includes the following metrics:
- Interest in geek and pop culture among local residents based on online searches for specific keywords including flagship movies, games and activities (comic book stores, “Dungeons and Dragons,” “Star Wars,” “Game of Thrones,” “Harry Potter,” “Batman” and “Stranger Things”).
- A local employment scene offering good chances at finding a job in a “geeky” field (media, film, art & fashion, gaming, tech, science and finance) and the potential of high earnings in the area.
- The percentage of locals holding a BA degree or higher.
- The number of physical bookstores, gaming stores, comic bookstores, comic cons, costume stores, art supply stores, music stores and movie theaters per city.
- The cost of living index.
- Access to apartment units that come with geek-oriented community amenities (game rooms, media rooms, card rooms, art studios, on-site movie theaters, bocce ball courts and libraries).
We’ve also discussed self-storage availability and rates, as people tend to turn to the service for keeping costumes, comic books, collections and other paraphernalia. If you remember what Sheldon Cooper’s storage unit looked like you will have an idea about what (not) to put into storage!
All things considered, Orlando, FL, emerges as the premier location for geek culture buffs, solidifying the Sunbelt as the dominant region with the highest number of spots in the coveted top-20 ranking, 8 cities in total. But there’s a bastion of geekdom in nearly every corner of the US.
Without further ado, here are the best places for geek culture aficionados, where cultural offerings combine with economic appeal for a comfortable lifestyle.
Orlando, FL, sets a perfect stage for geek culture fans, along with other Sunbelt hubs
If you want to let your geek flag fly high, there's no better place than Orlando, FL, as the city combines a high quality of life with a wide range of nerd-friendly amenities. It plays host to Universal Orlando and Disney World, which also touch upon the Marvel, Star Wars and Harry Potter universes. This gives the city a wide array of nerdy interests, making it a great destination for many types of fandoms.
The job market is also friendly to techies in Orlando. Roughly 3.1% of locals work in a gaming-related position that brings them an income that’s 90% higher than the average local salary. Besides gaming, finance workers make up close to 3% of the workforce here, outearning the average-salaried Orlandoans by 51%. Media employees – who make up 1.4% of the local workforce – earn about 40% more than other local professionals.
And when the workday is over, pop culture buffs can easily indulge in their passions at home as most rental communities now come with lifestyle-oriented amenities. In fact, among the 300 largest cities in the US, Orlando ranks a strong 6th for offering renters easy access to card rooms. Libraries and media rooms are also widely available across Orlando apartment buildings.
The comic book fandom is also strong in Orlando, reflected in both local’s interest in the topic and the several events in the city where they can play out their cosplay fantasies. The City Beautiful comes first for Google searches related to both regular bookstores and specialist comic bookstores with, respectively, 7.9 and 2.4 searches per 1,000 residents.
As the city is home to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, it is not surprising that Orlando comes first in the country for Google search interest related to the Wizard of Hogwarts. The city also hosts no less than 26 comic cons, making it easy for fans of the genre to meet fellow hobbyists.
In addition, the local self-storage sector is well equipped to provide extra space for storing collections, memorabilia or anything else that might clutter up a home. Renting an Orlando, FL, storage unit costs an average of $133/month for a 10’x10’ climate-controlled unit.
Additionally, there is a strong gaming culture in the city, as Google interest for “game stores near me” seems to indicate: there are 1.6 searches per 1,000 people, triple what other cities get on average.
